Dinner-pail



No. 620,89l. Patented Mar. i4, |899. G. w. cunTls. y

DINNER PAIL.

(Application filed Apr. 26, 189B.) V (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

THE Nomina vrzns no., PHoraLlTHo.. wlw-1mm, D. a,

No. 620,89l. Patented Mar'.=|4,V |899;

' G.. W. CURTIS'.

DINNER PAIL.

(Appuction med'Apr. 26, 189s.)

(No Mudel.) -2 sheets-Sheet 2.v

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

GEORGE W. CURTIS, OF CHAMPLIN, MINNESOTA.

DINNER-PMI..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 620,891, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed Apri126, 1898.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. CURTIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Champlin, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dinner- Pails; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object io provide an improved dinner-pail.

To this end my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like notations refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the pail.

f Fig. 2 is a similar view with the hinged side in its lowermost position and the cup removed from its locking position. Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the pail with its hinged side in its lowermost position and all the traysor dierent receptacles removed.

The body cof the pail may be of square or oblong form and is constructed to open at the side. For this purpose the pail is shown as provided with a hinged side a', adapted to open downward. The said hinged side a is also shown as provided with an angular spring finger or catch CL2, which when the said hinged side is in its uppermost or closed position is adapted to enter a vertical groove ctformed on the exterior of a fixed cup or open-ended cylinder at, rising from the top of the pail. By then applying a removable 'tin cup b to said fixed cup a4 over the catch a2 the said hinged side a of the pail will be locked in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 1. By the removal of the tin cup b from the fixed cup a4 the hinged side a is of course unlocked and may be'turned downward into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The hinged side o is hanged, as shown at o5, so as to telescope with the margins of the pail at its open side when the hinged side is in its raised or closed position, thereby affording a tight joint.

To the top of the pail is secured in any suitable way an ordinary bail c. The interior of semi No. 678,845. (No model.)

the pail is fitted to receive a series of trays or receptacles, (numbered 1 to 5, inclusive, adapted for holding the different kinds of food and the table articles or cutlery needed for eating the same. Of the said trays 1 to 4 the larger member l slides on the bottom of the pail, the next higher member 2 works on apair of supporting-fiangcs f, the next higher member 3 on a corresponding pair of flanges f 2, and the uppermost member 4 works on supports formed by a fiange f3 at one side of the pail and the top of a rectangular partition g, which divides off a space adapted to receive the liquid-receptacle 5, which is used for the coffee, tea, milk, or other liquid desired. The supporting-flanges f to f 3, inclusive, for the different trays or any other suitable supports may of course be provided in any suitable way. 1

When the different trays are in position in the pail and the hinged side-is in its lowermost position, they will appear as in Fig. 2. With this construction it is obvious that all the different trays or receptacles are independently removable and insertible to and from their-'working positions in the pail. This of course is a great advantage for keeping the-different kinds of food separate from each other, thereby preventing mussing or commingling of the foods, and for getting directly at the particular part of the lunch or dinner desired without removing any other portion from the pail.

The provision of the hinged side a is a great convenience from the fact that it affords a table for use when eating the lunch.

So far as rendering the different trays or receptacles independently removable and accessible in any desired order the same result could be secured with a pail having a removable side; but this would not be so convenient as the hinged side for the reason that the movable side would not afford as satisfactory a table. The fact that the hinged side is fast to the body of the pail makes the same more serviceable as a table than a removable side would be, which would have tobe independently supported.

The pail and its different receptacles, such as the trays l to 5 and the cups a4 and b, may of course be made of any suitable size and of any suitable material. The details of the de- IOC vice may also be varied, of course, Without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is not deemed necessary to designate the appropriation of the diierent trays and receptacles tothe different materials and things, as that of course may be largely a question ot` choice and is obvious.

With the use of the improved pail herein described it is obvious that the diierent kinds of food may be kept separate from each other and in their original condition, free from dust and dirt, until the time desired. This is a very radical improvement as compared with the ordinary or any pail now in use so far as known to me.

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. A dinner-pail having a hinged side with the hinge at the bottoni, and provided on its top with a rigid raised cup, and a latch iixed to the upper edge of said hinged side and adapted to be engaged between said iixed cup,

and a removable tin cup iitting over the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the pail having one of its sides hinged to its bottom and provided with the raised cup having a vertical groove on its exterior surface, of the latch a2 carried by said hinged side, and adapted to enter said groove when the said side is in its closed position, and a removable cup b adapted to ft over the fixed cup and said latch, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE lV. CURTIS.

Vitnesses:

JAs. F. WILLIAMSON, Bassin B. NELSON. 

